


Spencer's Just Kind of a Brat

by gentlewhumping



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Bisexual Spencer Reid, Crushes, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, How Do I Tag, Light Angst, Lighthearted, M/M, POV Derek, Pining Derek, Public Display of Affection, Requited Love, Spencer is a minx, for like two seconds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25207597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gentlewhumping/pseuds/gentlewhumping
Summary: Derek likes Spencer. Spencer knows but likes to be a little bit of a tease.Just a quick fic request <3My best attempt at something that isn't a painfully slow burn :)
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Comments: 26
Kudos: 267





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dwarf_planet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwarf_planet/gifts).



> For a hecking-hacking broski :)

“Well well, hello handsome.” Derek said after letting out a low whistle, leaning against Spencer’s desk.

“Good morning,” Spencer said, his normalcy unwavering despite Derek’s actions.

“Yes it is,” Derek agreed, and picked at Spencer’s sleeve. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in this before.” It was a long sleeve dark purple button up, and the color looked sinful on him. His grey tie certainly didn’t hurt either.

“Yeah, I just bought it, look at the cuffs,” Spencer held out his wrist, and Derek looked closer to see that the cufflinks were square and outlined in silver. The middle of the cufflinks were black with a white pawn on one, the other white with a black pawn. “They were a gift from my mom, she had them custom made.” He explained.

Derek quite decidedly did _not_ audibly coo at how sweet that sounded. Instead he reverted to his practically trademarked sass. “Of course you would have something like this,” he laughed lightheartedly. “It’s cute,” he said, only to follow it up with “you nerd.”

-

Derek watched as Spencer made his morning coffee in the break room. He was putting a copious amount of sugar in it, as he always did, and Derek was trying not to gag just watching it unfold, as he always did.

“Is that why you’re so sweet?” Derek asked coyly, gesturing to the mostly-sugar barely-coffee mug.

“Maybe,” Spencer replied with his little awkward half smile that always made Derek melt just a little. “Am I sweet? I rather thought I could be distant.” Spencer said thoughtfully.

Derek wanted to facepalm. Why couldn’t he just take the compliment? “Oh please, anyone who knows you knows what a great guy you are.” Derek said. “I bet you’re one of those guys who gets stuck holding the door for people nonstop because they just keep comin’, and you’re too polite to just let go.”

“It’s not my fault when there are more people than expected,” Spencer said, only half admitting it with a grin before taking a sip of his coffee. He made a face and promptly dumped even _more_ sugar in.

-

They had only just caught the killer, and as he was being shoved into the back of a police car, Spencer, Derek, and Emily were all getting looked over by paramedics. It hadn’t been an exactly peaceful takedown.

“You really didn’t have to do that,” Spencer said, wincing as his arm was slowly rotated, the paramedic testing his range of mobility.

“What, and risk letting that guy mess up your pretty face?” Derek questioned, grinning despite the blood on his face.

“That guy” was a 6’4” powerhouse of a man who was also somehow incredibly quiet on his feet and enjoyed mutilating his victims' features. He had tackled Spencer to the ground, clamping one hand over his mouth to prevent him from making any noise, a knife in his other hand assisting in assuring Spence kept quiet. The only reason Derek knew something was wrong was because of a slight ‘thump’ sound, and it took him mere seconds to locate the two. Derek, cursing under his breath due to his lack of a gun, had quite literally body slammed the guy off of Spencer and was abruptly in a knife fight with no knife of his own.

Derek had held his own well enough, he thought, but didn’t object when Spencer and Hotch both trained their guns on the unsub, forcing him to either back down or be shot.

Derek had a nasty cut above his eyebrow, and while it didn’t need stitches, he was warned it might scar if he didn’t follow his care instructions carefully.

“Emily, why are _you_ here?” Spencer asked, arm now in a sling, having been determined to have a sprained elbow. Her hand was being wrapped and iced.

“Uh…” Emily hesitated before mumbling almost incoherently, “I fell… off… the fire escape…”

Spencer and Derek laughed out loud, and Emily good-naturedly let them.

-

“I like you, Spence.”

The team had gone out for dinner after a case, drinks were had, and everyone was wrapping up to go home. Derek had caught Spencer alone for a minute, and so, with what little resolve he could muster, he blurted out those four words.

Spencer smiled sweetly back at Derek as he tied his scarf. “I like you too, Derek.” He said it so casually, so easily, it couldn’t be that simple- “You’re my best friend.” Wait a minute...

Derek just stared, mouth slightly open, as Spencer walked away toward his cab. Derek couldn't believe what just happened.

“Wow.” came a voice from behind him. “That was rough.” Rossi patted Derek’s arm consolingly.

Derek couldn’t even muster the energy to be self conscious that Rossi had watched that unfold.

“I meant _like_...”

“I know you did, buddy. I think Reid’s the one who didn’t get it.”


	2. Chapter 2

Derek was fed up. He was genuinely, thoroughly, completely, honestly fed up. He had tried quite literally everything, but no matter what he did, nothing worked. He didn't even understand how that could be possible.

He aired his woes to Penelope, who could only pat his leg reassuringly and roll her eyes.

You see, the issue was that Derek had a massive crush on Spencer. Well, that wasn't the issue. The issue was that Derek wasn't being shy about it, yet Spencer was still oblivious. Or at least acting oblivious.

"Oh my god, what if he's only _acting_ oblivious?" Derek asked, eyes widening. "Because he wants to let me down easy??"

"Oh shut up," Penelope said quickly. "You and I both know that's not true. He's the type who'd be all 'what, who, me? I'm awfully flattered...'" Penelope's Spencer impression was just terrible enough to make Derek laugh. "Just tell him straight up, 'hey, I like you, I wanna jump your bones, let's date.'"

"Hey, woah, pardon me little miss, I don't think he's the 'bone jumpin' on the first date' type." Derek said defensively.

"Um, I'm sorry, did you work the case with the super hot blonde actress, ummm Layla or Leah or something, or was it just me who saw the surveillance footage of him having a heated make out session in the pool with a woman he barely knew and definitely wasn't supposed to be entangling with?" Penelope reveled in the expression Derek made at that, halfway between a blush and faux annoyance, so she continued. “And we _know_ he’s fine with workplace relationships because he took JJ on a date that one time.”

“Huh, two petite blonde women aren’t exactly encouraging examples of his interests.” Derek said, his eyebrow cocked.

Penelope sighed loudly and dramatically. “Oh my Goooooood, do you _have_ to be such a pessimist?? Just Tell Him.”

“Tell who what?” Spencer appeared in the doorway, a half-eaten jello snack pack in hand and spoon dangling between his teeth.


	3. Chapter 3

“Tell who what?” Spencer asked, handing both Penelope and Derek jello packs. Jello, no matter what anyone else said, was _not_ just hospital food, and was _good_.

“Nothing,” Derek replied too quickly, and Spencer raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue.

Penelope let out a loud groan. “Why is my office suddenly you two’s hang out spot? What part of this space looks like it’s made for two men?”

Spencer picked up one of her fluffy top sparkly pink pens. “I don’t know, this looks pretty traditionally masculine to me.” He joked. “Besides, I brought you food.”

Penelope couldn’t deny that. “And for that, I will not kick you out on your hiney.” She said with an air of authority despite her being the one conceding. “Spoon?” She asked, holding out a hand. Spencer gave her and Derek both utensils.

“So Derek,” Spencer said as they settled back in, “Are you going to take me to see the new exhibit that just opened up at the museum, or are you still waiting on something?”

Derek choked on his spoon. “W- hat?” He croaked out.

“I mean, I assume that’s what was taking so long for you to ask me out, waiting for that to open up, but if you don’t want to that’s fine. We can go to dinner or the theatre instead. Although if you want to go to the movies I should warn you, I’m a movie talker.”

“What?” Derek repeated. Penelope was sitting on the edge of her seat, head swiveling quickly between the two while eating her jello as though it were popcorn.

Spencer’s brow furrowed, eyes wide and innocent. “I thought you wanted to go out… Am I wrong? I just-”

“No! No, you’re- you’re not wrong, I just thought…” Derek shook his head. “I didn’t know you knew.”

“It’d be kind of hard to miss, Derek.” Spencer with only a _slightly_ deadpanned inflection.

“But you didn’t say anything?!” Derek exclaimed.

Spencer shrugged. “I was letting you make the first move. You moved too slowly.”

Penelope started laughing, reminding Derek that she was still there. When he was reminded, he didn’t hesitate to grab Spencer by the arm and pull him out of the room, jello left behind for PG to worry about cleaning up, and shove (gently guide) him into an unoccupied neighboring office space for some privacy.

“When I said I liked you, you said I was your ‘best friend.’” Derek said.

“Yes, because you are. I’m allowed to _like_ my best friend, aren’t I?” He asked innocently.

Derek wanted to ram his head into the wall. Instead he just said “You’re so fucking annoying,” and pulled Spencer in for a kiss, just to make sure this was really happening.

It was.

…

“So, are we going to the exhibit tonight, or…”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer as a coworker was intelligent, a bit naive, and good at his job. Spencer as a friend was dorky, playful, and sometimes a bit too much. Spencer as a boyfriend, however, was a whole new level. Spencer as a boyfriend was unexpectedly coy, expectedly awkward at times, and very frustrating, but in the best of ways. Derek quickly figured out that Spencer _had_ been intentionally acting oblivious, and did so often just to rile Derek up. He also had a habit of badly pretending to be casual and unbothered when he was flustered, not by physical affection but syrupy, sappy words, which Derek loved to cause.

What was probably the most surprising for Derek, though, was how Spencer was _not_ as demure or modest as Derek had expected him to be. Derek and Spencer were a conundrum of opposites in this regard. Derek was all for dirty jokes and landing a kiss in public, but he always made a slight production out of it, as though hamming it up just to make anything he did seem more inappropriate than it actually was without ever actually doing anything too bold. Spencer, however, wouldn’t make a scene at all when he trailed a hand down Derek’s chest. He wouldn’t even blink while sticking his hand in Derek’s back pocket just to grab his ass. He just did what he wanted to do and continued about his conversation or activity. When Derek would say something sly about it, or try to catch his hand, Spencer would simply look at him with his wide, innocent eyes questioningly, as though he didn’t know what Derek meant. It drove Derek absolutely wild. More than once, to Derek’s embarrassment, when Spencer _just wouldn’t stop_ , it resulted in Derek pulling Spencer into an unused office or tight janitorial closet and of course that resulted in the two of them having to hastily clean themselves up before leaving again.

Spencer’s hair was never quite neat, though.

Everyone else in the BAU were disgusted. I mean really. A room full of profilers, did they really think a quick clean up would hide anything? Derek would be embarrassed, but goddamn _Spencer_ would just go about his day with a cheeky grin and those damned big brown innocent eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> looking back and reading this, it is terrible. i won't blame you if you disown me as a writer. i have no excuses. i loved this but now i want it dead sdjsdsldkskdklsk
> 
> edit; actually no, i just reread again it and fuck that, i love this.


End file.
